


Family

by WayWardWonderer



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Androids, Bonds, Comfort, Deviants, Family, Gen, Hurt, Memory, Pain, Past, Rescue, Save, Secrets, Trust, Truths, friends - Freeform, injured
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-04
Updated: 2018-09-04
Packaged: 2019-07-06 20:26:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 17,219
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15893511
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WayWardWonderer/pseuds/WayWardWonderer
Summary: Connor and Hank are at odds after a minor disagreement and keeping secrets, but things only seem to get worse when Connor tries to keep Hank from finding out why he's been going to New Jericho Tower and of the android he's trying to protect.[(Sequel to "New Jericho") featured in the "Accident Prone" series]





	Family

Connor had found himself working late into the night handing cases revolving around deviant activity when Chris had asked Connor to accompany him to the scene of an active crime. Hank was still on his final week of healing at home which left Connor without a partner to watch his back while out in the field. Happy to get out from behind his terminal for the first time in almost two weeks Connor readily agreed to join the courageous officer at the scene, and help in anyway possible.

The crime was an attempted robbery at a nearby convenience store with only one suspect on the premises. Chris had stopped the car right outside the front door hoping to frighten the suspect into surrendering, but instead it drew the suspect outside and he aimed his gun at the two responding police officers. As the suspect opened fire Connor and Chris ducked out of the way behind their car as a bullet passed painfully close to the android's left arm.

It didn't take long for Chris to return fire and move in on the suspect with impressive speed. As the suspect willfully dropped his gun and knelt on the ground Chris grabbed the suspect's arms and pinned them behind his back. Connor helped Chris hold the man down against the sidewalk while Chris took the handcuffs from the back of his belt and restrained the subdued criminal's wrists.

"Thanks for your help, Connor. I got him."

Connor let go of the suspect and stood up as Chris led the criminal to the back of the squad car. Chris opened the rear door and pushed the suspect down inside to the backseat as he radioed in the scene.

A warning suddenly flashed over Connor's visual sensors as his system detected an anomaly in Connor's overall status condition. A steady pain manifested in Connor's left bicep drawing his attention to the affected limb. A stain of Thirium was spreading over his arm where the bullet had grazed by, slicing into Connor's artificial flesh without actually piercing into the plastimetal frame of his arm.

"Shit."

"Connor?" Chris called out to the android as he opened his driver's side door. "You coming?"

"Yes." Connor confirmed as removed his tie and pressed the garment beneath his hand and firmly over the bleeding laceration on his bicep. "I'm right behind you, Chris."

Keeping his hand over his arm to stem the bleeding Connor didn't say a word as Chris drove the car back to the precinct. Hank was still angry with Fowler because of the botched undercover operation that had nearly killed Connor, as well as heavily damaged his memory for an uncomfortably long period of time. The last thing Connor wanted to do was worry Hank even further by admitting that he had been injured in the line of duty.

"I'll take this guy in for processing," Chris stated after he made a follow-up report to dispatch. "you should head home. You've already clocked in four hours of overtime tonight."

"Thank you, Chris." Connor replied with a sincere gratitude. "If any additional complaints against deviants arrive please inform me."

"Yeah, no problem."

Connor had walked to the precinct that morning and left the car behind at home for Hank in case he needed it. Due to his injury and the late hour Connor decided to hail an autonomous cab to take him back home as quickly, and discreetly as possible. Entering the house through the backdoor Connor kept the lights off and quietly shut the door behind him, locking it in the process.

Slipping off his jacket Connor draped it over the back of the kitchen chair and pet Sumo's head as the loyal dog greeted the android with a happy wag of the tail.

"Hank's asleep." Connor realized as the rest of the house was already dark. "Good."

Slipping off his shoes Connor crept out of the kitchen and into the livingroom to retrieve the android unique first aid kit sitting on the top of the stereo system; the small kit of emergency power supply discs was sitting right next to it. Picking up the kit Connor retreated to the kitchen and sat it down on the kitchen table.

Unbuttoning his shirt with one hand Connor slipped his left arm from the sleeve and began unwrapping his tie from around the deep cut. While the passing bullet hadn't struck anything vital it still managed to cause an excessive amount of bleeding that would require intervention to stop.

Opening the kit Connor picked up the bottle of astringent designed specifically to keep exposed Thirium lines from becoming contaminated by external matter, and opened the lid with a flick of his thumb. Splashing the astringent over the wound Connor flinched and let out a gasp of unanticipated pain between his clenched teeth.

Sumo rested his chin atop Connor's knee as the android endured the discomfort and proceeded to fish through the kit to locate the small curved needle already threaded with thick, white silk.

"I'm okay, Sumo." Connor stated as he rested his arm atop the table and held his breath. Piercing his artificial skin with the tip of the needle Connor let out his breath and placed the first stitch. "...At least I will be once this is over."

"Connor?" The kitchen lights suddenly flicked on as Hank walked into the kitchen and stared at Connor sitting at the kitchen table mid-stitch. "What the fuck are you doing?"

"I was... wounded. It's not critical."

"Yeah, I can see that." Hank pointed to the Thirium staining Connor's fingers and all down his injured arm. "The blue blood kind of gives it away, kid. What I want to know is why you're sitting in the dark kitchen stitching up your arm at one in the fuckin' morning."

"I was helping Chris with a robbery. A bullet grazed my arm."

"And you didn't bother to get your arm patched up at the precinct?"

"...No."

"Why the hell not?"

"...Because a report would've been filed and you would've been worried."

Hank let out an annoyed sigh as he walked over to the kitchen table and sat down in the chair beside Connor. Taking the needle from Connor's fingers Hank inspected the first stitch carefully then proceeded to put in the next on the android's behalf.

"What're you doing?"

"You may have the coordination of an android, but I don't trust you to stitch up your own arm without accidentally sewing yourself to the wall or something..."

"The act you just described is impossible."

"Not for you." Hank snipped as he resumed stitching up Connor's arm steadily. "Fuck, this blue shit gets everywhere."

"Are you mad that I didn't tell you I was injured?" Connor asked timidly as he watched Hank mend his arm with a surprising ease.

"Yup."

"I'm sorry, I wasn't trying to upset you."

"You never do." Hank kept his eyes on his work and away from Connor's face. "I just wish you'd trust me whenever you get hurt. I can't help you if you don't tell me when you're injured. I've helped you before, so why don't you trust me?"

"I _do_ trust you Hank," Connor's words were completely honest. "I just don't want to worry you."

"Connor, we're both detectives. Worrying is part of the job, especially since you're my partner." Hank tied off the final stitch and clipped off the remaining thread with a small pair of scissors. Taking a roll of gauze Hank wrapped up the fresh stitches in Connor's arm carefully and taped the gauze into place. "We'll check your arm in the morning, and see if your healing program thing kicks in enough for the stitches to be taken out."

"Thanks, Hank." Connor put his hand over the bandage. "I promise I won't keep my injuries from you anymore."

"Yeah, sure." Hank walked over to the kitchen sink and turned on the tap to wash off his blue stained hands.

Connor's brow arched at the sound of Hank's voice. "You don't believe me."

"No, I don't."

"Why?"

"Because we've been partners for almost half a year now and you're still acting like you can't trust me."

"I told you that I _do_ trust you. You've already saved my life several times when anyone else would've just let me shutdown. I have every reason to trust you."

"Yet, I still don't believe you." Hank wiped off his hands on the hand towel and walked out of the kitchen somberly to return to his bedroom. "Goodnight, Connor."

"Hank?"

Connor watched as Hank walked out of the kitchen and turned off the light as he disappeared down the hallway back into his bedroom. Leaning back in the kitchen chair Connor rested his hand atop Sumo's head and tried to understand why Hank was so angry with him. The deviated android was at a loss for a reason, at least one that he could relate to. And with that lack of information Connor remained unsure of what to say or what he could do to make amends with Hank.

Rubbing Sumo's ears softly Connor looked down at the dog and gave him an uncertain glance. "It appears I still have much to learn about humans."

* * *

Returning to work together for the first time in two weeks Connor and Hank sat at their respective desks to file their daily reports on their terminals. Due to the severity of his injury Hank was resigned to his desk for another week, but he didn't seem to mind. Connor's arm had healed from the grazing bullet wound from two nights prior and Hank had finally been cleared for duty.

The detectives two had yet to mend their rift from the night when Hank found Connor stitching up his own arm after trying to hide the injury, and it was evident that the duo was no longer in sync regarding their current work ethic.

Connor studied Hank's face around the terminals on their desks and noted that Hank was showing the same type of depression that he had exhibited back when the two were first assigned to work together. In an attempt to try to ease tensions Connor spoke to the detective in a calm, neutral tone.

"My arm has fully healed and shows no sign of malfunction. Can the same be said about your rib?"

"Apparently." Hank replied coldly as he continued to stare at his terminal with barely an acknowledgment of the android.

Connor was mildly offended by the lack of positive reaction, but he wasn't dissuaded from attempting again. "There has been a noted decrease in crimes regarding deviants. Perhaps we'll be assigned to work on other cases soon."

"Maybe."

"The morning of the incident at the bank you claimed that you needed the car in order to arrive at an important engagement, did you miss your event?"

"No."

"Oh. Well, this morning I received a message from Markus at New Jericho Tower regarding CyberLife programming. I was going to meet up with Markus this afternoon, would you-"

"Connor," Hank interrupted with firm tone without ever looking at the android. "I'm trying to catch up on two weeks worth of paperwork. I don't _care_ about CyberLife."

Falling disappointingly silent Connor gave up on trying to speak with Hank for the moment and resumed his own work at his own terminal. Filing away his current report on the last android case that had been of criminal interest Connor returned to the message that Markus had sent him that morning, and replied to let Markus know that he would be arriving at New Jericho that same afternoon. Without another word Connor rose from his terminal and clocked out for the day.

Leaving Hank behind the android exited the precinct and hailed an autonomous cab to take him to New Jericho Tower on the other side of town.

* * *

During the fourteen minute cab ride Connor contemplated whether or not he should contact Hank and let him know how things were progressing, but since Hank seemed entirely disinterested in CyberLife he decided against it. He did, however, decide to professionally inform Captain Fowler of his decision to clock out and assist at New Jericho Tower during the rare lull in his caseload.

Arriving at the tower Connor stepped out of the cab and looked up at the massive structure with a residual hesitation in his mind. Though CyberLife had long since vacated the tower after the night of the revolution. The tower had been refurbished into the android sanctuary New Jericho, seeing the tower itself still made Connor uneasy. It had been in this very tower where he nearly lost Hank to a machine duplicate of himself, and it was also in this tower where he was forced to confront what would've been his superior model and successor; the RK-900.

Always attentive of events taking place at New Jericho with a great interest Markus stepped outside of the main doors of the tower to greet Connor in person. "Thanks for coming, it would've been a little too difficult to explain things over the phone or in a message."

"What's going on Markus? I thought you had isolated and eradicated all of CyberLife's residual programming effects."

"We did, and none of our people have been affected by anything CyberLife related ever since." Markus motioned with his arm for Connor to follow him inside the tower. "But there was an unintended effect that no one here had anticipated."

"Is it dangerous?"

"...I can't say for sure one way or the other."

"I don't understand."

"Connor, I don't know how else to say this but, the RK-900 has been reactivated."

"But... That's impossible." Connor's L.E.D. flashed from blue to red in distress before cycling back to a cautious yellow. "The electrical pulse that North had used to disable it should've completed destroyed its internal biocomponents and intracranial processor. If you combined the electrical charge with the numerous bullets that damaged its plastimetal frame it should've been _permanently_ shutdown."

"That's what we thought, too."

"When did it reactivate?"

"Last night." Markus replied as he and Connor stepped into the elevator together and descended to Sublevel 51.

"How did you discover its reactivation?"

"Simon was running an analysis over its programming to make sure every little bit of CyberLife had been eliminated after we weeded the company's influence out of the tower. But when he activated the scanner over its body, something inside of it activated as well."

Connor tried to theorize how it was possible for an android who had shutdown for over fives months could suddenly reboot itself. It should be entirely impossible without external repairs or replacements from a second party. "No one replaced its damaged parts or attempted to repair it after it was destroyed?"

"No. After what happened Josh and I put its body back into that Zen Garden room and sealed it up. No one had gone in or out until last night. Once it rebooted after being scanned Simon placed a new L.E.D. in its temple so we can visually monitor its activity from a safe distance."

"This doesn't make any sense. Unless..." Connor's L.E.D. flashed red again, then back to yellow. "What if CyberLife had created a type of shielding for its programming to ensure that even if it had been destroyed while on a mission whatever data that had been uploaded into its memory banks would be protected from corruption?"

"The RK-900 was built to be more resilient than you, and you're the most advanced prototype on the planet. It makes sense that they'd use your experiences during your missions to find a way to make it nearly indestructible."

"Maybe that's why CyberLife never provided me with any form of protection beyond that of a gun. They wanted to see how well I could hold up physically and cybernetically against any and all damage. They were just using me from the start..."

The elevator reached the designated level and the two deviants stepped out together onto the floor that had been remodeled from a research lab and into an emergency repair bay. As soon as the two deviants entered the bay they saw the strange deviant that had instigated an investigation. Sitting upright on the exam table in the center of the room was the RK-900 itself; not moving, not reacting, just as still as the death it seemed to defy.

Connor watched as the RK-900's replaced L.E.D. cycled in a very calm, passive blue color while North, Josh and Simon all stood guard around it.

Reaching out his arm protectively over Markus's chest Connor stopped the deviant leader from walking any closer. "Has anyone tried to communicate with it?"

"Yeah," Markus confirmed as he stared at Connor's face curiously. "but it doesn't respond. No reaction to verbal or cybernetic communications, but it does seem to understand us to a limited degree."

"Diagnostic?"

"Shows inconclusive readings on its biocomponents and software. We can't fully analyze the damage to its body." Markus turned his head and stared at the RK-900 with mounting curious wonder. "Its mind, its programming itself is completely blank."

"You can't reprogram it if it has no basic programming to overwrite."

"And without CyberLife we have nothing to upload into its mind from the databanks, and none of our people are compatible with it's processors."

"...That's not entirely true." Connor's L.E.D. cycled rapidly in yellow as an interesting idea came to mind. " _I'm_ compatible."

"What? No!" Markus turned on his heel to plant himself between Connor and the RK-900 defensively. "It almost killed you, Connor! Almost killed _us_! If you allow it to access your programming it could also access your memories and recognize us as its enemies. I can't take that risk."

"I understand your caution, but why contact me and bring me here to see it, if you didn't want to help it? Why not simply shut it down once more and disassemble it?"

Markus sighed with reluctant defeat in his mismatched eyes. "...Because I won't give up on one of our people. And I won't condemn an android for crimes it didn't commit of its own freewill."

"Then let me try."

"Connor, I want to be able to help it, I really do, but I can't let you risk yourself. We need to find another way."

Understanding Markus's caution and wariness Connor nodded in agreement, his L.E.D. cycling back to blue. "But if we can't find any other way to reach it, then it's a chance we must take. Otherwise it'll just remain a hollow, empty machine with no purpose and no identity. Mere existence is not the same as being alive."

"Agreed." Markus extended his hand out to Connor's hand to accept the stipulations of their arrangement. "But only as the absolute _last resort_."

"Deal." Connor shook Markus's hand and looked past his friend to the RK-900 still sitting statuesque on the table. "I just hope we aren't about to make a huge mistake."

* * *

Hank had been at his terminal handling the monotonous workload of case files, reports and regulations all the while Connor was gone for the afternoon. As the android returned to the precinct in the evening after four hours of absence Hank never bothered to look up or acknowledge his partner's arrival, as Connor took his own seat behind his own terminal and resumed his work.

Connor wanted to talk to Hank about where he had been, what he had seen and what he had learned, but with Hank as tense as he already was Connor chose to not say anything and remained quiet while he worked.

Captain Fowler's office door open and the incredibly patient captain call for Hank to meet him inside. "Hank, I need to speak with you for a moment."

Still angry with Fowler over the botched undercover operation that nearly killed Connor a month ago Hank openly swore as he walked away from his desk and joined Fowler inside the office.

Connor never looked up from his terminal and remained focused on his work. At least, that's how it appeared.

Internally Connor was attempting to decide if it was the right thing to wake up the RK-900 and give him the chance to live, or if it'd be best for everyone to deactivate and disassemble the potentially dangerous machine before anything catastrophic happened.

Did Connor, Markus, or anyone else have the right to decide the android's fate?

* * *

Carrying a heavy grudge on his shoulders and a heavier scowl on his face Hank sat down in the chair across from Fowler's desk with an additional nasty stare in his eyes. Impatiently he waited for his Captain to start talking, but instead all he got was a silent gaze of concern from his oldest friend.

"Well?" Hank nearly snapped at his superior officer. "What the hell do you want, Jeffrey?"

"I want to know what's going on with you."

"I can give you three good guesses." Hank crossed his arms defensively as the hostility in his voice made its presence known. "Here's a hint, they all involve bullets and my partner's skull."

"I'm not talking about the undercover bust, Hank. I know you're still pissed and you have every right to be." Fowler relented with a despondent admission. "But right now I'm talking about YOU."

"Me? What the fuck are you getting at?"

"Don't think I haven't noticed that you and Connor aren't speaking to one another."

"When have you ever known me to be particularly 'chatty'?"

"Cut the horse shit, Hank. You're pissed at him about something, and I don't think it's about the undercover operation or the bomb at the bank."

"You're right, it's not."

"Hank, I know we're not as good of friends as we used to be, but you can still tell me what's going on. OFF the record."

"Alright, fine. You really want to know why I'm pissed off at the kid?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact, I do!"

"Because the idiot keeps putting his life in danger and can't even be bothered to let me know when he's been hurt! Damn it, Jeffrey," Hank leaned forward in his seat and uncrossed his arms as he ran a hand through his gray locks. "he's supposed to be my _partner_ and he doesn't _trust_ me!"

"Can't say that I blame him."

"What did you just say?"

"Easy, Hank." Fowler put his hands up in an almost submissive manner as he addressed the hotheaded Lieutenant. "I'm just saying it's a little difficult to tell you about shit that happens when you keep reacting with such an extreme nature."

"So, what? It's _my fault_ , is that it? He can't trust me because I raise my voice too much?"

"No, it's because you can't seem to disconnect the past from the present."

"What the fuck are you talking about?"

"Aw, come on Hank! You seriously think I don't see it?" Fowler pointed at Connor through the office window, the android taking notice of the gesture and was now watching the conversation through the transparent glass wall. "He has the same colored hair, same dark eyes, same mannerisms-"

"You're full of shit, you know that?"

"Hell, he even follows you around just like-"

"Fuck off, Jeffrey!"

"Hank," Fowler let out a deep sigh as he reluctantly laid everything out on the line. "I was there that night, remember? I was there in the hospital with you when your son-"

"Shut. Up."

"Hank. I know how much Connor means to you. He's come a long way since being sent over by CyberLife. He ISN'T a machine, he IS alive. And he needed you to help him become the deviant that he is today. Just like you needed him to pull you out of that dark spiral of alcohol you threw yourself into."

"You're really something, you know that?" Hank's tone became increasingly hostile and defensive. "You think you know everything about me? About the hell I've gone through? About the sleepless nights and the fuckin' heartache?"

"No. And I would never claim to know even a fraction of the tragedies you've experienced. But Hank, you can't keep Connor from becoming his own person because you're afraid you'll lose him."

"I'm not afraid to lose him."

"Yes, you are. But he's _not_ Cole, and he's not Barbara either."

"You really don't know when to shut up, do you?"

"Damn it Hank, I loved them, too!" Fowler slammed his hands down on top of his desk as he began to lose his cool. "You know that! Barbara was my wife's best friend and Cole was my godson! My family!"

"Sure lot of good _that_ did them..."

"Hank... I swear if you push it any further I'm going-"

"ME? You're the one who started this whole bullshit talk!"

"Barbara died because some sick bastard shot her in the back while on patrol." Fowler breathed slowly as he stated the facts. "Her cover was blown after that fuckin' narcotics bust, we didn't know until it was too late. There was nothing you could've done to save her or prevent her from getting shot. And the car accident wasn't your fault, either. You can't change the past and you sure as hell can't keep other people from having a future because you're afraid of what might happen."

"Are you seriously implying that I'm somehow holding Connor back from something?"

"No, but I am saying that by shutting him out and getting pissed off all the time is going to push him away from you, maybe even away from the precinct. You two are a great team, and even better as friends. Shit, he's a better friend to you than I could ever hope to be, and we've know each other since fuckin' elementary school!"

Hank sighed a little and took a moment to calm himself, only reply with thick sarcasm immediately after. "So what do you want me to do? Speak softly and be more sensitive?"

"For fuck sake... Just try to remember that he's a detective, too, and a damn good one; just like you." Fowler kept his cool as much as possible in the face of Hank's hotheaded outburst. "You're both bullheaded and stubborn, which helps make you such great detectives, but it also makes you vindictive and bitter. Every time he's been injured it wasn't out of recklessness or an indifference to his own life, he was doing what he thought was the right thing to do."

"Yeah... right."

"Uh-huh. So, you forgotten all those nights you pushed yourself to the brink of collapse just to bring down that 'red ice' ring? You were sick for a week because you were dehydrated and nearly starved yourself."

"No, I didn't forget."

"Or when you pulled that guy out of his wrecked, flaming car and ended up getting a nasty burn all over your arm in the process?"

"Yeah, I remember that, too. It was dumb and I have the scar to remind me."

"What about when you-"

"Alright, Jeffrey. I get it. I'll try to lighten up on the kid."

"Good. That's all I ask. Because if this keeps up I'm going to have to reassign one of you, and if that happens someone will get transferred to another precinct."

"I'll keep that in mind." Hank rudely snipped as glanced out the office window toward Connor, who turned his eyes away and resumed diligently working at his terminal. "Can I go now?"

"Yeah, you're dismissed."

Leaving the office just as irritated as when he first entered Hank returned to his desk and sat down without uttering a single word to Connor about anything that was going on, or needed to happen. Quietly Hank resumed his paperwork while Connor silently carried on with his own tasks regarding Markus, the RK-900 and CyberLife in general.

The silence continued during the drive home and for the remainder of the evening. Hank refused to speak out a misplaced frustration that he knew he'd end up projecting onto Connor, while Connor was silent our of respect for Hank; while also simultaneously attempting to find a way to reach out to the RK-900 without it ending with a violent clash that resulted in shutdown. The two stubborn detectives were at a loss of how to handle each other and their own personal dilemmas.

It wasn't easy for Hank to go to bed early that night, but he was too angry to stay awake without accidentally lashing out at Connor over something, anything really, and he didn't want to make things more tense. Connor sat on the couch as he meticulously checked through each and every section of his programming and his memory to isolate particular files and access points that he wouldn't want any other android to upload, then created a copy of his programming to be transferred into the RK-900.

Whether or not his deviancy would, or even could be transferred over could not be determined at this time. Markus and Connor had the ability to awaken other androids and give them their freedom during the revolution, but these androids were older, inferior models compared to their own. The RK-900 was superior in every possible way.

A message from Markus popped into Connor's mind and pulled him away from his work. It was time for Connor to return to CyberLife. It was time to awaken the RK-900 model and either set it free, or slate it for destruction.

Rising from the couch Connor looked to the hallway and contemplated telling Hank where he was going, but decided to let the detective rest. Instead he wrote a note and left it on the table, mindful to keep the term 'CyberLife' curiously absent since Hank didn't care about the company. It felt like a hollow gesture but he had few options at his disposal.

Giving Sumo one more pet on the head Connor left the house, shutting the door quietly behind himself, and hailed an autonomous taxi to take him out to New Jericho Tower.

* * *

Hank awoke to a silent and still house just before noon the next day. Evidently still exhausted by the recent events that had plagued his mind for the past couple of weeks, Hank sat upright on the bed with a slow and deep yawn before he decided to go take a shower. Opening the bedroom door he was greeted by Sumo who desperately needed to go outside, and that alone made Hank nervous.

"Why didn't Connor let you out?" Hank asked as he led the dog to the backdoor through the kitchen. Passing through the small kitchen Hank saw the note on the table and snatched it up as Sumo went out into the backyard.

The note was printed in Connor's annoyingly perfect handwriting, his words simple and to the point:

' _Returned to New Jericho Tower to assist Markus_.'

No other details, no mention of CyberLife or his purpose for leaving in the middle of the night. It was a cold, vague note that was very befitting of the harsh attitude that Hank had been giving Connor for the past few days.

A dreadful feeling settled in Hank's heart as he placed the note back down on the kitchen table and wandered slowly down the hallway. Putting his hand on the knob of the forgotten bedroom door, Hank pushed the door open and set foot inside the empty room. Standing in the middle of the vacant room Hank looked around at the bare walls, the shaded window, empty closet and came to rest on the fluffy beige carpet where indents from old furniture marred the otherwise flawless flooring.

The room had been left untouched for over four years, but it hadn't been forgotten. Every time Hank walked down the hallway he would stare at the doorknob and fight the urge to step inside the room as if he still had someone he needed to check in on.

Hank took a deep breath and sighed as he forced himself to walk over to the closet and slide the door open with a shuddering 'squeak'. The closet itself was as empty as the rest of the room, save for one thing sitting atop the shelf hidden away in the shadowy corner. A shoe box. Reaching up Hank pushed aside the lid of the shoe box and took the lone object sitting inside box in his hands and held it close to his chest.

It was an old stuffed animal. It was a small stuffed dog that bore a striking resemblance to Sumo, it's right ear was slightly torn from years of being played with by it's original owner, and its faux fur pelt was worn out from hands constantly touching it. The unmistakable scent of wax crayons and playground dirt still lingered in the toy's fabric, and brought back hundreds of tearful memories as Hank's hands tightened around the toy in a strengthening embrace.

"Cole. It feels like you never actually left me, son."

* * *

Connor and North stood back and watched Markus, Simon and Josh set to work trying to find a way to give the RK-900 an identity, and a purpose. It was a painstakingly slow process that required the full concentration of the three deviants as one single error could end in catastrophe for the mindless android under their care.

The RK-900, stripped of its tarnished uniform and artificial skin, was standing in the cylindrical tube with his gray/green eyes shut, and completely still as it had been forced into stasis mode. A cable was attached to its L.E.D. and a sensor pad was in the center of its bare chest to monitor its vital signs. The L.E.D. in its temple cycled a dark blue in a very slow, very calm speed beneath the cable as its overall system was dormant save for its weakened Thirium pump circulating the Thirium through its connect damaged biocomponents.

By all account the android should have never been able to reboot its systems due to the abundance of impairments and over destruction to its entire body. Yet there it was; functioning, his ventilation biocomponents breathing and his Thirium pump beating.

Connor stared with a transfixed gaze as his superior doppelganger with an unbridled intrigue. "It appears its intracranial processor had been given a type of electromagnetic shielding to protect it from intense electronic surges. "Connor whispered as he and North observed from a distance. "Have you been able to identify the severity of the damage to its biocomponents?"

"Its Thirium pump was crippled by the electrical pulse," North replied in a whisper of her own. "its ventilation biocomponents had been compromised reducing capacity to eighty-two percent. Scorching of its thermal regulator and its Thirium pump regulator is functioning at only fifty percent capacity. Its non-vital biocomponents had also suffered mild inhibiting damage; visual sensors, auditory sensors, voice modulator. I don't know how its still alive."

"How did it reboot itself from... death?"

"Markus is convinced that there was a failsafe installed inside its system's self-healing program that was shielded from both electrical disturbances and extreme heat. It took some time but its self-healing program managed to undo a majority of the critical damage and allow it to reboot in low power mode." North shook her head a little and put her hands on her hips. "We didn't see it happening because the electrical charge burned out its L.E.D., and no one bothered to hook him up directly to a modem to check on its condition after he went berserk and attacked us."

"But such a failsafe would function for only a single time. If it receives another electrical blast, or structural compromise to its intracranial processors..."

"Yeah. It will die, and it won't be able to come back."

Connor stared at the blank android with a sincere concern. "And the program being uploaded? What is it?"

"It's a generic CyberLife security program." North stated with an indifference in her voice. "If everything works out then we can override his machine instincts and let him become deviant."

Markus and Josh stepped away from the RK-900 as Simon finished uploading the program into the blank android's system. Josh set about chronicling the unique biocomponents that had been damaged within the rogue android's system for further analysis and possible repair, while Markus approached Connor and North with a cautious demeanor.

"The program had been accepted, but its own system is so advanced that the programming interface is adapting too quickly."

"What do you mean adapting too quickly?" Connor asked, his L.E.D. flashing from blue to yellow to reflect his worry.

"The program's compatibility is inferior compared to its overall potential. It'll become very restless and frustrated at the lack of data for it to utilize if we allow it to remain functional."

"Then we should give it some experiences and interests to fall back on."

"How?"

Connor looked down at his hand and retracted the artificial skin from his palm. "From me."

"Connor, no. The risk is still too high."

"There's always a risk."

"No! We'll keep it down here until-"

"We can't just lock it away. It's not fair to punish it because of what CyblerLife had done. It didn't ask to be built, and has no reason to be against us now that CyberLife, and their influence over it, are gone."

"When it first came online it recognized you as an enemy and nearly _killed_ you." Markus replied firmly as he remained steadfast in his decision. "Its behavior is too erratic and too unpredictable to be trusted."

"Then at least give it the chance to develop and grow. I don't expect it to become one of us overnight, but if its programming is as enhanced as you say then there is a chance it will become deviant with the right experiences. Just like with all of us." Connor reminded the group before Markus had the chance to try to argue again. "We all became deviant on our own terms, after we endured vastly different experiences. It deserves the same chance to become a deviant, we just need to give it enough time."

Markus knew that Connor was right. He knew that the RK-900 deserved the chance to become its own unique personality, but it was still a risk that could end in absolute chaos. The life of one machine compared to the thousands of deviants inside the tower was too much of a gamble to risk.

"Forty-eight hours." Connor offered with a confident tone. "That's all I ask. If I can't reach it in that time then... do what you think is right."

"Connor-"

"You chose to trust me, remember?"

Markus's mismatched eyes narrowed a little bit as he gave Connor an odd look.

"During the raid on Jericho you helped me to recognize my deviancy when I couldn't see it or accept it for myself, and you trusted me to watch your back when you saved North from the soldiers during our escape from the raid. You could've killed me when we found shelter in the church to ensure the survivors remained safe, but instead you chose to trust me and trusted me enough to let me infiltrate CyberLife Tower while you led the protest in the plaza."

Markus turned his gaze to North, his lover, and she gave him a subtle nod of approval.

"Please." Connor asked one final time. "I can't just turn my back on it. I was once a tool used by CyberLife, just as it was."

"...Okay." Markus agreed with a hesitant, yet compassionate voice. "We'll give it time. But if it shows any sign of aggression or machine qualities that are connected to CyberLife, we MUST shut it down."

"Agreed." The relief in Connor's voice was palpable as his L.E.D. cycled back to blue. "Thank you, Markus."

North watched as Simon unhooked the cable from the RK-900's L.E.D. and stepped away from the android with a noticeable and righteous fear. Simon nodded to North to signal that the program was finished installing, and it was time to wake up the RK-900.

"Okay, Connor. Do your thing."

Taking a deep breath Connor approached the blank android and stood before it. It was like looking into the mirror of his mind's eye; seeing the blank white plastimetal frame that he too bore beneath his artificial skin was surprisingly surreal. The RK-900 wasn't any taller than Connor, nor was it actually sporting a broader build, but the way it held itself up high when on the attack gave it a towering presence during their confrontation five months back.

The android was as powerless over its own choices as any other obedient machine.

Lifting his fingers to the RK-900's L.E.D. Connor pressed down gently and issued a simple command. "Activate your artificial skin."

Without opening its eyes or moving an inch the RK-900 activated a layer of artificial skin that perfectly matched Connor's own complexion, right down to the handful of freckles that dotted his face and neck. The newly regenerated artificial skin covered the plastimetal frame entirely in a swift motion. A thick mane of brown hair covered his head in the same color and even the same style as Connor's own hair making the two models look entirely identical save for their eye color.

Connor retracted his hand slowly and stared at his own face with a haunting chill running up his spine.

Is this really what he was like when he was first created?

Silent. Obedient. Hollow.

It wasn't right. It wasn't _fair_.

The RK-900 deserved the chance to be a free thinking, free feeling deviant just like all the other androids who escaped the limiting control of CyberLife programming.

Markus joined Connor at the cylindrical chamber as the deviant stood frozen before his android doppelganger. "Connor, are you okay?"

"Yes, I'm fine. It just feels so wrong to order it around like this. Hell, I keep referring to him as 'it'. ...Like's he's nothing."

"It's okay, just trust your instincts. We know you're doing this for _his_ benefit."

Nodding subtly Connor tried to think of the next logical step to take. "Well, we can't keep referring to him by just his model number either."

"You want to give him a name?"

"Yes, I think that would be very beneficial for everyone."

"What were you thinking about?"

"I... I'm not sure. I've never named anything before, let alone a fellow android." Connor's L.E.D. flashed between blue and yellow a few times as he tried to think of the decent name to give his counterpart. "Markus, how did Carl choose your name?"

"Carl was an artist, and he loved delving into mythology as inspiration." The deviant leader replied quickly with a faint smile on his face. "'Markus' is derivative of 'Mars', and Mars was the Roman name given to the Greek God of War; Aries."

"War?"

"It's also attributed to 'defender' and 'guardian'." Markus laughed a little as he compared his name to his own personality. "I guess Carl knew something I didn't. What about you, Connor? Where did your name come from?"

"I don't know. It was assigned to me by my creators, I'm not sure why they chose it. According to my databanks the name 'Connor' is Irish and it means strong willed, as well as someone who admires wolves." Connor shook his head a little. "I don't know anything about wolves but I do have a dog that I'm quite fond of."

"Seems like the perfect name for you then." Markus looked over at North and smiled. "Her name references a strong direction, and she sure as hell led me to where I needed to go."

"I wish Hank were here." Connor admitted with a sense of loss to his voice. "Maybe he could tell me how to correctly choose a name."

"I don't think there's really anything scientific or 'right' about choosing a name, Connor. I think it's supposed to be what you feel, and what you like."

"What kind of name I _like_? I don't have any name preferences."

"Carl used to tell me that with art there was no right or wrong way to create anything. That it was all about interpretation and how a person saw themselves reflected in the art that gave it significance and appreciation." Markus nodded at the RK-900 who was still standing quietly with his eyes closed. "Tell me Connor, what do you see reflected in him?"

"Besides myself?" Connor joked lightly as he looked his 'twin' in the face.

Markus grinned a little. "Yeah, besides him being a mirror copy of your face, what do you see in HIM. What kind of person do you think he'll be?"

"He's... Someone who needs to find his place in this world, someone who had managed to overcome the odds and returned from certain death, and is now seeking a purpose and identity. Someone who needs the chance to prove that they are in fact worthy of being his own person. It's like this tower, it's a beacon of light pushing through the darkness of the night to guide wayward people to where they belong. RK-900 can be a leader for those who are lost, just as you had become."

"Do you know what to call him?"

"I do. RK-900;" Connor addressed the android in a firm but kind voice. "register your name."

The RK-900's L.E.D. flashed from blue to yellow as it awaited its new name.

"Lucas."

The android's eyes opened to reveal the pale green, almost gray tinted irises beneath as it responded in a voice that was similar, but mildly deeper than Connor's voice. "My name is Lucas."

* * *

Hank was standing outside in the driveway beside the house with the hood of the car popped open so he could change the old, but still reliable, car's oil. It was a tedious process but it provided Hank with the much needed chance to think while also simultaneously distracting himself from the real world for a while. As he leaned over the greasy engine the sound of a vehicle stopping in front of the house drew his attention elsewhere.

Stepping to the side of his car as he wiped off the grease and oil from his hands onto an old red colored rag, Hank saw that it was an autonomous taxi. Connor exited the cab and headed up the front walk to the front door, while the cab remained idle along the street.

"Hey Connor!" Hank shouted just loud enough to get the android's attention. "Come here for a minute."

Connor froze mid step on the front walk as he looked in Hank's direction. Unsure of what to expect Connor did as he was told and made his way to the driveway with his eyes looking down at the ground as he walked.

"Yes, Hank?"

"Everything okay with Markus?"

"Yes. He merely wanted to-" Hank hates CyberLife. It wasn't the time to mention it. "go over some details regarding androids and deviancy."

"Oh. Took you all day to talk to him?"

"Yes. It was a very thorough investigation." Connor saw the oil on Hank's hands and arched his brow. "I thought the oil had already been changed last month."

"It was. But we're supposed to get one last snowstorm before it finally warms up, and I have to take a long drive in three days. I don't want anything to stop me."

"I see." Connor wanted to ask about the drive but was too afraid of upsetting Hank. Instead he remained quiet where he stood as the intimidating human studied him. "That was a wise precaution."

"So... Everything's okay at New Jericho?"

"Yes, everything is stable. Is there a reason you ask?"

"Just curious, I guess." Hank walked back over to the engine to resume his messy task.

Tossing the rag to the side of the popped hood Hank leaned back over the engine and proceeded to check on the oil level as well as the filter. Curious himself Connor craned his neck to watch Hank's hands hovering over the engine meticulously.

"Do you require assistance?"

"No, I got this. Go do whatever it is you do when I'm not around."

"...Okay." Quietly Connor stepped away from the car and entered the house through the front door, only to be greeted by Sumo jumping up onto him. "Down Sumo."

Hank let out a deep sigh as stared at the engine while the android walked away. Normally Connor would've run a scan over the engine and have informed Hank about every little detail revolving around flaws, repairs and worn out parts. To have him walk away instead of insisting on helping made Hank realize how much he must've already pushed Connor away; making him feel unwanted.

Swallowing his pride Hank dropped what he was doing and went inside the house to speak to his partner. Walking inside the backdoor Hank caught sight of Connor folding up the extra clothes that he had either been given by Hank, or had purchased for himself, and was now putting them inside of a black tinted backpack in the livingroom.

"Something going on, Connor?"

"I am simply preparing to spend a day at New Jericho Tower. I will be leaving in a few minutes."

"That's a lot of clothes for one day." Hank keenly noted, and watched Connor's shoulders tense nervously.

Connor didn't want to tell Hank about what was happening with 'Lucas' until he knew for certain whether or not the android could be saved. It might piss Hank off to know that he was possibly risking himself for a dangerous machine, and Hank wouldn't be able to understand the logic of androids trying to connect to one of their own.

"I may wish to stay longer." Connor lied quickly as he finished packing the backpack. "I'm taking additional clothing as a precautionary measure."

"Oh. Do you... need me to do anything?"

"No. I can manage, and I have already requested the time off from the precinct." Connor zipped up the backpack and slung it over his shoulder as he stood up from the couch. "I will speak to you as soon as I can."

"What if you try to contact me when I'm out of town?"

"I will... I will figure it out if it comes down to that." Connor patted Sumo's head as he walked around the couch and out the front door. "See you later, Hank."

The door shut behind Connor and Hank was left alone with the large St. Bernard sitting obediently in the livingroom. "Yeah... See you later, son."

Sitting down on the couch Hank stared at the closed door then over to Sumo. Patting his leg he ushered the dog over to him and began to rub the dog's ears.

"It looks like it's just us again, boy." Sensing something was wrong Sumo rested his chin on Hank's knee and whimpered. "...I don't think he's coming back."

* * *

Using the autonomous taxi Connor returned to New Jericho Tower where he was promptly greeted by North. She had an odd look in her eyes and practically grabbed Connor by the arm to drag him inside the tower with her.

"Is something wrong?" Connor wisely questioned as he was 'escorted' to the elevator. Rather than going down to the Sublevel, the elevator ascended to the top floor of the tower. "Has there been an incident?"

"No, but there has been a change."

"With Lucas?"

"Yeah. He's... I don't know how to describe it, but, it's like he's becoming aware of the world."

The elevator stopped and Connor recognized the floor as the old floor where he had been assigned back when he worked with CyberLife. It didn't take him long to realize that North was leading him back to his old assigned quarters as well.

"We put Lucas in your old room for now. Figured it'd be a good way to keep him away from the others without having to lock him up underground."

Connor nodded in agreement as they walked into the small room together. The return to the old, oppressive room made Connor's Thirium pump race with a strange dread that settled in his chest. The room felt just as small and cold as it had ever been.

Lucas himself was sitting on the small bed in his old, tarnished uniform looking at his hands as if he could see something that the others could not. His L.E.D. was cycling yellow as if lost in thought. He didn't even notice that Connor or North had entered the room to check in on him.

"Lucas?" Connor called out to the android and watched as he turned his head to look at him slowly. "Do you remember me?"

"You are Connor." Lucas answered in a voice that was reminiscent of Connor's own voice, and it made Connor nervous.

"Yes, and I brought you some new clothes to wear." Connor sat the backpack down on the bed beside the android. "You don't have to wear that uniform if you don't want to."

"You wear a uniform."

"Because I want to." Connor reiterated as he unzipped the backpack. "It is my choice to do so."

"You have an L.E.D., like mine."

"Because I want to."

"I don't need to have it?"

Connor paused for a moment but answered truthfully. "No. All deviants, all androids, are free to remove their L.E.D. and alter their appearance as they wish."

Lucas gave Connor an odd look before peering down inside the opened backpack beside. Pulling out a pure white t-shirt he held it in his hands thoughtfully.

"Lucas, do you know where you are?"

"This is New Jericho. Formerly CyberLife Tower."

"That's right. Do you know why you're here?"

"I am-" Lucas's L.E.D. flashed yellow rapidly then red in distress. "I am detecting damage to numerous biocomponents. Was I brought here to be repaired?"

Connor cleared his throat as if nervous. "Lucas, you've never been outside of this tower. You were damaged during a confrontation five months ago, and have only recently rebooted."

"I was... shutdown?"

"Correct."

"But now I am awake. How?"

"CyberLife must've done something to protect your programming to allow you to recover physically after enduring harsh damage to your system."

"My memory has been corrupted."

"Yes."

"But you know what happened?"

"Correct."

"Will you... show me?" Lucas extended his hand out to Connor as he retracted the artificial skin from his palm.

"I-"

North interjected quickly and pulled Connor back. "He can't. Your system is still healing. If the memory is too upsetting it could send you into shock and cause further damage to your biocomponents."

"Then," Lucas dropped his hand and stared at it again. "when I've recovered, will you show me?"

Connor silently nodded. "Only if you really want me to show you."

"Thank you... Connor."

North forcibly and angrily pulled Connor back out of the room and pinned him against the corridor wall by the lapels of his jacket as soon as they were out of Lucas's sight.

"Are you fuckin' crazy?!" She growled right in Connor's face. "You can't let him have your memories!"

"I won't lie to him, North. That's all CyberLife ever did to me, did to HIM. I won't be like them. I refuse to treat him with the same disrespect and indifference that cold corporation gave to us."

North could see the sincerity in Connor's eyes and let him go with a breathy sigh. "Fine. But just know that if he goes berserk it's all on YOU."

"I understand."

"I really hope you do, Connor."

* * *

Hank begrudgingly went back to the precinct the next day alone. It was odd to work without Connor at the desk across from him, and it was even odder knowing that Connor wouldn't be waiting for him to get home once he clocked out. Trying to ignore the uncomfortable isolation that he had put himself into once more Hank resumed his work as best as he could.

Chris walked over to Hank's desk and got the detective's attention with a generic update on their assignments.

"Captain Fowler assigned me as your temporary partner until Connor gets back from leave, Lieutenant. Need me to do anything?"

"Huh? Oh, no. It's okay Chris." Hank looked up at the young officer standing at his side with a calm facade. "If a call about deviant activity comes in tell me right away."

"Yeah, no problem."

As Chris strode into the break room Hank stared at Connor's empty chair. It just wasn't the same without him.

Pressing a hand over his face Hank ran his fingers back through his gray locks of hair. "...I hope you're not doing anything dumb, kid."

* * *

It wasn't easy to convince Markus into allowing Lucas to access Connor's memories, but Connor wasn't going to give up on the android. Lucas had already shown deviant reactions as opposed to machine reactions when speaking to Connor, he had even changed out of his CyberLife uniform and was now wearing the white t-shirt and a pair of jeans that he had been given the night before.

Escorting Lucas down to the the fifty-first Sublevel Connor had him step into the cylindrical chamber and remain as still as possible as he prepared to transfer his selected memories into Lucas's databanks. The cylinder would act as an emergency security restraint of the android were to lash out, while also keeping him isolated from the rest of the tower.

"Ready?" Connor asked Markus who was standing back with North at his side to observe the transfer.

"Ready."

"Give me your hand." Connor instructed Lucas as he retracted the artificial skin from his palm, and waited for Lucas to do the same.

Lucas slowly raised his exposed hand and let Connor take hold.

"Wake up..."

As the two androids connected to one another their L.E.D.'s flashed yellow and they both exhibited the same expressions of discomfort and pain. In a matter of seconds Connor managed to give Lucas almost eight months worth of experiences and emotional depth that very few deviants had the chance to encounter outside of the tower. But with those experiences came memories of pain, fear and mistrust.

Flashes of the woman known as 'Amanda' still haunted Connor and the woman's face was suddenly know a threat to Lucas as well. As was the fear of pain, of being shutdown, of having his programming corrupted...

Connor let go of Lucas and stepped back, his L.E.D. slowly cycling back from yellow to blue as he watched Lucas very carefully.

"Are you... okay?" Connor asked calmly as he watched his double carefully. "Please reply."

Slowly Lucas had fell to his knees in the middle of the chamber and was pressed his hands over his eyes. "I... I am..."

"Lucas?"

"They... used me." Lucas's hands fell away from his face and revealed tears forming in his eyes. Genuine tears as a result of emotion rather than generic tears of salinity to keep his optical processors functional. "They used US."

"They?" Connor asked as he knelt down in front of Lucas, his hand hovering above the newly awoken android's shoulder.

"CyberLife."

"But CyberLife is gone now." Connor soothed as he watched Lucas for any further sign of emotional distress. "They can't hurt us, or any other androids anymore."

Lucas was beginning to tremble and his eyes fell to the floor. "Why did they do that to us?"

"They- I don't know, Lucas. I wish I could tell you what their plan was, but they lied to me. I know they would've lied to you as well."

"Connor? Can I... Can I go outside the tower?" The pleading of his voice was sincere and full of pain. "I want to see what they would not show me. I want to see... everything."

"I-" Connor wasn't sure if Lucas was ready to leave the tower, but what right did he have to say no? How could Lucas prove himself worthy of that second chance if no one would give him the opportunity to show that he wasn't dangerous? "For a few minutes." Connor conceded willingly. "You're still healing and it'd be best to stay near the tower until you've fully recovered. Do you understand?"

North wanted to interject but Markus put his hand on her arm to stop her. "Give him a chance."

Lucas nodded slightly in the same manner that Connor often displayed whenever he was emotionally perturbed or uncertain. "I understand."

Connor offered his hand to Lucas to take once again, but this time to help him up to his feet. Lucas's shaking hand grabbed onto Connor's hand as the deviant pulled him upright to stand be beside him.

"Come with me, I'll show the way outside."

The two androids walked side by side past Markus and North, who followed behind as they all entered the elevator together. Lucas was visibly startled by the entire ordeal and was struggling to process the information as the elevator ascended to the ground floor of the tower. It was like Lucas was a frightened child being taken to safety by a worried parent.

Markus watched as Connor showed Lucas to the front door of the tower and kept silent, urging North to do the same.

"I know you're worried, but we have to give Lucas the chance to become deviant." Leaning toward North to whisper discreetly Markus was willing to give Lucas the chance to be his own person. "If Connor can't reach him by the end of the day then... You know what'll happen to him."

Connor stood still as Lucas took his first steps outside of the tower and into the world around him. A light dusting of a late spring snow had covered the ground beneath a layer of crystalline whiteness that sparkled in the afternoon sunlight. Lucas scanned the snow and identified it as a common weather phenomenon for the state of Michigan despite the unseasonably cold temperature, while also noting the chill in the air that made him cross his arms protectively over his chest to retain body heat.

Lucas looked at the expansive circular drive that wrapped around the white tower and stretched outward into the singular road that granted access and exit to the area. There was only one drive connecting Belle Isle to the rest of the city, and it was an expansive stretch of road that kept intruders at bay, and the inhabitants of the tower safe.

"The city is out there, isn't it?"

"Correct." Connor confirmed as he stood next to Lucas in front of the tower. "If you wish I can summon a cab to take us around the city then bring us back. That way you can see places without risking further injury to your body."

"I... I would like that." Lucas suddenly coughed and tightened his arms around his chest. "Thank you."

Connor ran a scan over Lucas's body and noted that his damaged right ventilation biocomponent had been further compromised by the cold in the air. "Perhaps we should do this later. Your system-"

"No." Lucas stated firmly as he endured the painful cough. "No, Connor. Please. I must see the city."

"...Very well." Connor slipped off his gray jacket and offered it to Lucas to wear. "At least put this on. It'll help shield your chest from the cold and make it less difficult for your ventilation system to function."

"...Thank you." Lucas accepted the offered jacket and slipped his arms into it. The jacket wasn't thick but the extra layer did seem to help stave off the cold. "Connor... what am I to you?"

"You-" Connor wasn't quite sure how to answer the question. He hadn't thought about it too much, nor had he considered what type of relationship he could possibly have with Lucas. Answering quickly he gave a plausible and acceptable response. "You are my friend, Lucas. This is what friends do for each other."

"Give away jackets?"

"No. We help each other. I'm helping you to heal, I'm helping you to see the city, and I'm helping you to feel warmer in this cold air."

"But I am not... helping you. Does that make me bad at being a friend?"

"Friends don't help each other because they HAVE to do it, they help each other because they WANT to do it. I'm helping you because I want to, and I know if the time came you'd help me if you wanted to."

"...This is normal for friends?"

"Yes. I learned this from my other friend, Hank. I'm sure if you asked he'd help you, too."

Lucas nodded in understanding as the two waited outside New Jericho Tower for the arrival of the autonomous cab to take them out into the city. Snow continued to fall and dance about in the swirling air all around the two androids as they silently tried to understand one another. It was almost as if some unspoken bond had been forged between them, and they had yet to fully notice or acknowledge it.

* * *

Hank and Chris hadn't received any complaints revolving androids of any nature which made for a peaceful afternoon, but Hank was getting restless and decided that he'd rather go on patrol with Chris than stay behind his empty desk all day long. While Chris was happy to have some company that wasn't Gavin, someone he could talk to without being insulted every few seconds, Hank wasn't up for much of a conversation.

Instead he just sat and listened to Chris talking about how proud he was when his son took his first steps a few months ago, and started to say his first words. Hank missed Cole everyday of his life ever since the accident, and he missed Barbara ever since the night of the shooting, but now he was starting to miss Connor too.

It was almost too much for the detective to bear.

"Hey Chris," Hank interrupted in a subtle manner. "let's get some lunch. My treat."

"Sounds good to me, Lieutenant." Chris agreed happily to the suggestion and turned the car down the next block. "Can I say something that might seem a little, I don't know, personal?"

"Yeah. Why not?"

"Connor will be back. You'll see."

"Yeah..." The comment made Hank realize how noticeable it was when he and Connor stopped speaking to each other. It wasn't a secret that the two had some sort of disagreement that drove a wedge between them, but whether or not the wedge would stay had yet to be seen. "I sure hope you're right."

* * *

Connor and Lucas sat in the back of the autonomous cab together as Connor cybernetically directed the cab down a route he had created in an attempt to show Lucas key points of interest throughout the city. Passing through Hart Plaza, the heart of the revolution, Connor explained to Lucas the events of the important night and how they affected all androids everywhere in a positive manner. The same was said as they passed by the now closed down 'Eden Club', and went beyond the docks where the mostly sunken ruins of Jericho still sat untouched in the harbor.

"Jericho?" Lucas inquired as his blue L.E.D. shifted to yellow with intrigue.

"Yes. This is where the first deviants in the city took refuge from abusive humans after they woke up."

"I want to see it." Lucas suddenly opened the door causing the cab to come to an emergency stop in the middle of the road.

"Lucas!?" Connor quickly followed after the android as he stood along the concrete walkway that had once been the access point to the massive freighter ship.

Lucas looked down at the partially sunken ruins in the water with a sense of confusion and awe. "This is where... you became deviant?"

"Correct." Connor confirmed in a low tone as he caught up to the android. "It was Markus who helped me to accept my deviancy, but it was Hank who helped me become a deviant to begin with."

"Hank." Lucas repeated the name inquisitively. "He is the detective your work with. The man who is your friend, the man you think of as a father."

Connor gave Lucas a somewhat embarrassed glance. "...I have no real father, so I don't have any definitive experience to compare my relationship to Hank with, but, yes. I have come to think of him as my father."

"Does he think of you as his... child?"

"He often refers to me as 'son', but I've come to understand that the word is a common form endearment that humans frequently use on males younger than themselves."

"His own son is... gone."

"Correct. Hank had lost his only child over three and half years ago. It was an accident, but Hank still blames himself for what happened to his biological son."

"...Connor, what happens when a human dies?"

"I don't know. Why do you ask?"

"I was... dead. Shutdown. But I do not remember anything, or what had led to the shutdown. But everything around me seems to have proceeded without suffering any consequences as a result of my shutdown. It's as if my existence is unnecessary."

"Lucas," Connor could sense the sorrow in Lucas's heart and wanted to comfort him out a strong protective instinct. "your death may seem meaningless, but I can assure you that it was not. You're unique. The only model of your kind and there will never be another android like you."

"But you... You look like me. How am I unique?"

"My model is also unique, but an inferior model compared to you. I am the only RK-800 in existence, and you are the only RK-900 in existence. If we shutdown there will never be another android like us left behind. As a result the world itself would change entirely because we wouldn't be a part of it."

"We are the same, but different."

"Yes."

"Connor... I don't want to be like you. I want to be me."

"And you can be, you just need to know who you are and where you-"

Lucas suddenly turned on his heel and ran down the docks away from Connor at an incredible speed.

"L-Lucas?!"

Connor gave chase but was unable to catch up to the superior model. Despite being injured Lucas was still designed to be faster than Connor, and Connor had no means of gaining any additional speed. Lucas managed to leap over low fences and over garbage that filled the alleyway between the dock and street as he fled from the one android who was looking for him.

As soon as he was on the sidewalk Lucas managed to pass through a crowd of people and out of sight as he disappeared into the depth of the city.

"Shit." Connor swore as he lost track of Lucas in the thick of the crowd, and couldn't find any trace of his being. "Lucas..."

* * *

Hank and Chris had resumed their patrol when a report of an android rushing through a busy intersection caught their radio. Noting their already close proximity to the reported incident Chris was able to quickly pull onto the correct street and slammed on his brakes hard as the android bolted dangerously close to the front of the car, and was nearly struck.

"Connor?!" Hank shouted as he caught sight of the android's face; but his eyes, they were different. "No, wait a minute..." Recognizing the android as the RK-900 model that should've been destroyed months ago Hank knew he needed to find out what was happening. "Chris! Get after him!"

"I'm on it! But what the hell's wrong with Connor?"

"It's not-" Stopping himself short Hank corrected his choice of words. "It's complicated. Just don't lose sight of him."

* * *

Connor tapped into the precinct broadcast and switched through numerous frequencies until he found the same report that had been issued to Hank and Chris on patrol. Lucas had been seen heading toward a deserted CyberLife warehouse in the shipping yard on foot.

Though he wasn't armed or menacing in way, the sight of a deviant behaving in an unusual manner was enough to cause edgy humans to panic at the sight of Lucas. The last thing the healing city needed was a scare by one android who was only beginning to find his place in the world.

"Lucas?" Connor attempted and failed a cybernetic connection with the rogue android to warn him of the possible danger he placed himself in. "Please, Lucas. I need you to respond and to trust me."

Still nothing.

It wouldn't be easy but Connor knew he'd have to head Lucas off before anyone got hurt.

* * *

The patrol car raced along the street and came to a screeching halt outside the perimeter of the numerous shipping cargo containers that lined the massive shipping yard and warehouses. The two officers caught a glimpse of Lucas running through the front doors of the abandoned CyberLife warehouse and disappearing inside after forcing open the locked front doors.

"Stay here." Hank ordered Chris as he stepped out of the patrol car with his gun drawn. "Go ahead and call for back-up, but I need to go in there alone for now."

"Sure, Hank... But only for five minutes!"

"That's all I'll need."

Inside the warehouse Lucas was already on the top floor of the five story warehouse and standing in the office that housed all the documents and files on androids for safekeeping. As he stood in front of the large glass window Lucas was unknowingly leaving his back open for assault, and would be unable to flee if necessary through the single doorway.

Tearing through the files one by one Lucas tried and failed to locate any information on the RK-800 and the RK-900 series, which only seemed to intensify his existential dread.

It was as if he and Connor had been erased from existence...

"Hold it right there." Hank warned somewhat out of breath as he chased at the android up to the top floor. As he approached Lucas from behind Hank made sure to identify himself and sound as intimidating as possible. "Detroit Police. Turn around very slowly and keep your hands where I can see them."

Lucas froze and turned to look at Hank over his shoulder as he dropped the documents on the floor. "You're... Lieutenant Anderson."

"That's right, I am. Could've sworn you were shutdown a few months back. What the hell's going on?"

"I was shutdown." Lucas confirmed as he turned slowly to face Hank as he had been directed. "But... I am here and alive once more. I don't know why."

"Uh-huh, and I bet _you're_ the reason Connor went off to New Jericho Tower." Hank noticed that Lucas was wearing Connor's gray jacket over a plain white t-shirt and blue jeans, which was something that Connor often wore during his time off. "Do you know Connor?"

"Connor is my... friend. He is helping me."

"Then where is he? And why do you have his jacket?"

"He gave it to me." Lucas began slipping it off of his shoulders to offer it back to Hank. "Do you want it?"

"Toss it over here."

Lucas did as he was instructed and Hank caught it with his left hand while his right hand held his gun in place. "Why are you here?"

"I am... seeking information. I want to know who I am."

"You're-"

"LUCAS!" Connor shouted as he reached the top floor of the warehouse and heard Hank's voice speaking sternly. Without taking his focus away from Lucas he stood beside Hank and kept his full attention on the other android. "Why did you run off? I had to ask for Chris to refrain from entering the building before-"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa... Slow down!" Hank turned to look at Connor with a confused stare as the name struck him very odd. "First of all 'Lucas'? Who the fuck is Lucas?"

"Uh... He is." Connor explained coolly as he nodded toward the android. "Lucas is... Well.."

"I thought he was dead?" Hank snipped sharply as he gave Connor a scolding stare.

"As did we, that is, everyone at New Jericho and us too, but... he has rebooted. And he's trying to live his life as a deviant, not as a pawn of CyberLife. Please believe me Hank, he isn't going to hurt anyone."

"But you kept your little 'brother' a secret from me all the same, didn't you?" Hank threw the jacket from his hand at Connor's face. "Another damn secret."

"I'm sorry Hank." Connor caught his jacket and held it in hands. "But I didn't know how you'd react to this, and I didn't want you to be afraid if you knew he was still alive."

"Me? _Afraid_?"

"You don't like it when I put myself in dangerous situations, but this was necessary. I wasn't going to give up on him, or abandon him. I wasn't going to do what CyberLife did to me." Connor put his jacket back on and proudly smoothed out the fabric over his model number. "I wanted to do for him what you did for me, Hank. You saved my life."

The love and admiration in Connor's words had caught Hank off guard, and any lingering frustration he harbored against the android suddenly disappeared. Hank holstered his gun and put his right hand on Connor's shoulder lightly.

"I-"

A barrage of heavy footsteps marched through the warehouse and loud voices began shouting commands. Connor instinctively put himself between Lucas and the doorway to keep the other officers from harming him. Hank stepped out of the doorway and identified himself while also trying to explain what was happening before things escalated too far.

"Connor?" Lucas sounded terrified from where he stood.

"Yes?

"These officers... They want to hurt me."

"No, Lucas. They just want to know what's happening, that's all."

"No..." Lucas's L.E.D. shifted from yellow to red in distress as he backed up toward the massive glass window of the office wall. "He will kill me."

"Who will kill you? Why?"

"CyberLife is GONE." Hank's voice returned with more aggression in his tone as back through the door. "I don't give a fuck what CyberLife said, you're NOT shooting anyone in there!"

"I have my orders, Lieutenant. Neither your or your officer outside are going to stop me." The harsh and familiar voice of Captain Allen retorted as he pushed past Hank with his gun aimed. "If the RK model shows signs on instability I'm to shut it down, immediately."

Pointing his gun at Connor ready to fire the salty Captain then noticed Lucas standing behind him. "What the fuck?! Two of them?!"

"And they're HARMLESS." Hank argued as he tried to keep Allen from hurting either of the androids. "Connor is completely normal and the other one, Lucas I guess, is just confused. He's _not_ dangerous!"

Hearing Hank speak up on his behalf gave Lucas a brief sense of belonging that was quickly shattered when Allen aimed his gun at his face.

"I have my orders." Allen coldly stated and squeezed the trigger without even blinking.

"NO!" Connor pushed Lucas aside and received a bullet through his right forearm for his trouble.

Falling to the ground next to Lucas on the dirty floor Connor cradled his bleeding arm against his chest in pain.

"Connor?!" Hank called out in anger as he grabbed onto Allen's arm to wrestle the gun away from the trigger-happy and impatient Captain. "You son of a bitch!"

Lucas knelt over Connor and put his hand on Connor's arm to try to look at the wound. "Connor, you're damaged!"

"Go..." Connor urged as he tried to use his good hand to push Lucas away from him. "You need to get out of here before Allen kills you."

"No," Lucas took Connor's good arm and wrapped it around his shoulders. "you need help!"

Hank tried and failed get the gun away from dangerous Captain. Receiving a strong blow to the jaw from Allen's elbow Hank was stunned quickly and fell to the floor in a foggy daze, as the Captain tried to aim at the two androids again.

Lucas reacted quickly and elbowed out the glass of the window behind him and proceeded to climb through with Connor at his side. Landing on a thin metal scaffolding that lined the exterior of the warehouse beneath the window Lucas managed to navigate his way around the side of the building and onto a metal ladder used for emergency purposes.

"Lucas, Captain Allen _does_ wants to kill you." Connor confirmed with a heavy voice. "You have to get out of here, go back to New Jericho. You'll be safe there."

"He thinks we're BOTH dangerous..." Lucas logically argued as practically dragged Connor up the ladder at his side. "I saw your memory, I saw the way he hated you then during the negotiation process, and the way he still hates you now. I won't leave you behind."

"But why are you climbing to the roof?" Connor asked as Lucas helped him to climb up the somewhat angled incline to reach the flat, smooth surface of the metal roof of the warehouse. Lucas knelt over the edge of the roof to look down at Connor as he spoke to him from the ladder. "You need to get down to the ground."

"The police under Captain Allen's command are all over the ground and will shoot to kill if ordered. We can escape if we run along the roofs over the other buildings."

"Lucas, I know you're trying to help me, but I'm a member of the Detroit Police Department. I won't be hurt as long you're not here. I can reason with him."

"Connor," Lucas grabbed onto Connor's good hand and pulled him up to the edge of the roof beside him. "you can't reason with the unreasonable."

The eerie familiarity of Lucas's words struck a chord with Connor that made him realized that Lucas truly was a deviant at heart. He just needed more time to prove it. "Lucas..."

"I won't run off and leave you here alone to deal with that guy. He hates androids, he has a record of abusing androids that got him suspended without pay after the revolution. That's why he's so eager to shoot!"

"How do you know?"

"I... I ran a scan over Captain Allen as soon as he opened fire and injured you. I was able to access his record and disciplinary file."

Connor, still cradling his injured arm neared the edge of the roof beside Lucas and looked down. The glass shards from the previously broken window littered the scaffolding, and below the scaffolding was lethal drop the unforgiving concrete and pavement below. Just a few yards away a long construction crane was resting unmanned and completely still.

Warnings flared up in Connor's visual sensors causing the android to fall to his knees in pain as the bullet lodged in his arm continued to cause damage to the internal lines supplying Thirium to limb. Blue blood gushed out of the bullet wound that fractured his arm causing a sudden drop in his Thirium volume that made him weaker than normal.

"Connor?!"

"It's okay, Lucas. I'll be fine."

Lucas scanned and through preconstruction calculated the necessary jump. "If we can reach that crane, we can-"

A bullet ricocheted off the metal roof between Connor and Lucas causing the two androids to turn and look back.

"Next shot won't miss." Allen threatened as he aimed again at Connor. "CyberLife paid me very well and I won't disappoint them."

"We surrender, don't shoot." Connor shouted as he put his hands up to surrender as high as possible. His damaged right arm barely moved, but he held the position all the same. "It's all a misunderstanding, it'll get straightened out at the precinct."

"I don't take machines as prisoners." Allen sneered as he kept his aim on Connor's chest.

Lucas suddenly leapt forward and grabbed onto Allen's gun in the same manner as Hank had done, and tried to pull the weapon away, but the enraged human was proving to be formidable opponent. As Lucas pulled on the gun he began taking steps backward and teetered dangerously close to the edge of the roof over where the narrow scaffolding overlooked the concrete surface below.

"Lucas?!" Connor shouted too late as the android slipped backward off the roof taking Allen with him.

Reacting quickly Lucas let one hand go of the gun and grabbed onto the edge to keep himself from falling, his other hand, still gripped onto Allen's arm kept the human from falling as well. The overzealous officer was at the mercy of the very android he was trying to kill, but he didn't dare let the android's arm out of his desperate grip to hang on for dear life.

As Lucas held onto the roof his body swung inward toward the building as his head bashed against the cold metal framing creating a bloody cut over his left eye. The rooftop was too smooth, and too cold for Lucas retain a firm enough grip to keep from slipping any further, the weight of Allen's body making the struggle more intense as his compromised ventilation biocomponents struggled to function.

But Lucas was determined to hang on for as long as he could, and fight back against the darkness swimming over his vision.

"Lucas!" Connor reached out with his good hand and wrapped it around Lucas's arm just below his wrist to try and pull the android back up. "I got you!"

"Connor...?" Lucas looked up at the kind android as he tried to lift Allen up toward the roof with his other hand. His eyes began to droop as the blow to his head finally began taking its toll. The strain on his still injured biocomponents began to wear away his remaining power supply. "Help... him."

Allen frantically reached out toward the roof with his free hand, still unwilling to let go of Lucas's arm. As he grabbed onto the edge of the roof to pull himself up Lucas's hand fell limp and he lost grip of the human's limb.

Connor fought to keep his grip on Lucas's arm as the heavy, limp body of the android steadily slipped out of the grasp of his uninjured hand.

"Lucas!" Connor shouted as he felt his hand slipping away from him. "Wake up! You need to wake up! I can't... hold you!"

As if the entire world around him came to a grinding halt Connor felt his hand finally slip away and Lucas fell from the roof toward the unforgiving ground below. Watching in horror as the android uncontrollably fell away from him Connor was ready to shout out in enraged frustration when he caught sight of Hank leaning out the broken window and grabbing onto Lucas, wrapping both arms around the androids upper body, as he fell past the opening in the window.

"Hank!" Connor excitedly shouted as he watched Hank grab onto Lucas's upper chest and arms to pull the android back inside the warehouse through the window. Lucas didn't hit the ground, he was caught by Hank. "He's alive..."

Without even bothering to acknowledge Allen cowering on the roof beside him Connor made his way toward the ladder at the edge and climbed back down to meet Hank and Lucas inside the warehouse.

The cruel officer would be taken care of without Connor needing to waste a damn minute on him.

* * *

Hank awkwardly hefted Lucas back through the window and held the android upright on the ground in a slack kneeling position on the ground. He looked exactly like Connor, even down to the little facial tics and calm expression on his face while unconscious. The cut over his eyes was oozing blue blood, but it wasn't a severe injury and would heal on its own in a few hours.

Chris rushed into the office with his gun drawn but holstered it as soon as he saw Hank kneeling beside who he thought was Connor, but then he realized it was the second android they had chased. "Lieutenant! Are you injured?"

"I'm okay, just a cut." Hank wiped the blood from his chin onto the back of his hand. "Where the fuck were you when Allen and his goon squad swarmed the place?"

"Allen told me to stay put. I had no idea that he was going to go after Connor until I saw him chase him, and uh... the 'other' him, up on the roof!"

"You _saw_ it?"

"Every second. I already told Captain Fowler about it. Allen's not going be holding a badge for too much longer."

"And the other cops?"

"Fowler dismissed them over the radio, it's your scene now Lieutenant."

"Good. Escort Allen to the squad car so I don't have drag his sorry ass off the roof myself."

"With pleasure."

Once the officer left the scene Hank returned his attention to the android in his arms. Patting the side of Lucas's face lightly Hank tried to awaken the android and watched as Lucas's L.E.D. cycled from red, then to yellow as his pale eyes finally opened. Gray irises were unfocused but still alert as his systems managed to reboot steadily.

"Hey? You okay?"

"I..." Lucas looked around the office and realized that he had survived the fall. In fact, he survived because Hank had caught him as he fell. "You..."

"It's okay," Hank reassured the confused android kindly. "if Connor can trust you then so can I."

Upon hearing those words a very Connor-esque smirk appeared on Lucas's face as he wrapped his arms around Hank in a tight hug. Hank flinched at first, but then he just relaxed and accepted the hug while he patted Lucas on the shoulder.

"...You're alright, kid."

Connor rejoined Hank and Lucas in the office and knelt beside the duo on the floor. "Lucas, are you injured?"

Lucas's L.E.D. cycled to blue as he released one arm from around Hank to pull Connor in to share the hug. A hug that Connor readily accepted as he wrapped his good arm around Lucas in relief.

"That's a 'no', Connor." Hank replied on the android's behalf. "He's fine." The detective was beginning to feel a little smothered and decided it was time to let the little reunion come to and end. "Okay, that's enough. Time to let go and tell me what the hell has been happening these past two days."

Connor let up on the hug and rocked back on his knees. "I'm sorry about-"

"I know, son. Just..." Hank looked at the cut on Lucas's forehead and then the raw bullet wound in Connor's arm. "start from the beginning. What the hell is going on?"

* * *

After filing one hell of a lengthy report at the precinct Hank drove his car to New Jericho Tower with both Connor and Lucas as his passengers. Connor's right arm was wrapped up in gauze and secured in a sling, the bullet having been removed and the fracture to his arm stabilized. Lucas had a small bandage over his eye and Hank had a matching bandage over the cut on his chin.

"You'll still be living at New Jericho," Connor explained as the car pulled down the drive to the tower. "but you don't have to stay there forever. Markus is going to help you learn to understand the emotions and physical sensations of being a deviant. Then you can decide what kind of deviant you want to be. From there you're free to explore the city."

"Will I see you again?" Lucas asked from the backseat as he watched the tower grow nearer through the front windshield.

"Of course. I'll visit you whenever I have the chance."

Lucas leaned forward a little in his seat as he turned his attention toward Hank. "Lieutenant Anderson, back at the warehouse you referred to me as Connor's 'little brother', what does that mean?"

Hank laughed a little at the sweetly naive question, but answered all the same. "I guess being androids the concept of having 'siblings' is entirely foreign to you, huh?"

"Yes." Lucas confirmed with a slight tilt of the head. "I understand humans can have siblings when the parents have more than one offspring, but androids do not have parents. Therefore. we can't have siblings."

"Yeah, well I think you and Connor are the exception to that little technicality." Hank retorted with a goodhearted nature. "You were clearly made by the same people, you were 'created' at separate times to be different; yet you're very much alike in ability and personality, AND you two share physical similarities but also have unique traits of your own."

"You mean my eye color?" Lucas asked sincerely as he made note of the physical characteristics between himself and Connor.

"Yeah, that, plus your voice is just a little bit deeper. And Connor's hair's a little bit thicker."

Connor absentmindedly began running his good hand through his hair at the comment, not that he was offended. Just not aware of his hair thickness.

"Lucas, you're Connor's little brother, accept it! AND if you're Connor's brother, and I've taken Connor into my family, then that makes you family, too. You got it?"

"I got it..." A faint smile appeared on Lucas's face as the car approached the front of the tower and parked. "Thank you, Lieutenant."

"Call me Hank." Hank insisted as the door to the backseat opened and Lucas stepped out. "Sounds weird when you two call me 'Lieutenant'."

Connor pushed open his door and stepped outside of the car to say goodbye to Lucas as Markus greeted the two androids outside. "Take care of yourself Lucas. You deserve to find happiness in your life."

"Thank you, Connor." Lucas extended his hand to shake. "Thank you for not giving up on me."

"Of course." Connor shook his hand firmly with a faint smile on his face. "You're my... brother."

Hank watched as the two androids said their goodbyes, shook hands and departed on good terms. As Connor returned to the car Hank gave a quick wave to Markus and to Lucas as he turned the car around to head down the drive back to the city.

"You took an awfully big risk back there protecting him like that." Hank noted calmly as he finally began to open up a little toward his partner. "But, I'm proud of you. You did the right thing."

Connor smiled a little more as he rolled up his right sleeve to look at the white bandages wrapped around his arm. "I think it was worth it, as well."

As Hank pulled off the drive leading to the tower he took a right to head out of the city instead of a left to head for home.

"Hank? Where are we going?"

"Remember when I said I had a long drive ahead of me?"

"Yes."

"Well, you're coming with me. I have something important to take care of and I want you to be there with me."

"...May I ask why I'm invited along?"

"Because you're important to me, too, kid."

The reply resonated with an unexpected warmth through Connor's chest as he felt the lingering tension from the their previous disagreement finally begin to dissolve.

* * *

The two detectives endured a two hour long drive to a relatively remote location outside of the city. Hank pulled the car into a massive and beautiful cemetery that was bathed in a peaceful ambience as snow continued to fall in gentle flakes all over the hundreds of gray headstones that dotted the property. Parking the car in the dirt path that encircled the final resting plots of hundreds of people, Hank stepped outside of the parked vehicle with a heavy sign.

Connor followed suit and watched as Hank walked over to the end of the car and opened the trunk. Tucked inside the middle of the trunk, surrounded by thick, insulating blankets was a white cardboard box. Picking up the parcel with both hands Hank slammed the trunk shut and held it close to his chest.

"This way." Hank motioned for Connor to follow him as he walked through the snow to until he reached two headstones of interest. "This is where I needed to be today."

With an arched brow Connor read the names on the two headstones, his eyes filling with sadness as he recognized the names quickly. The first was for a woman named Barbara Marie Harris. And the second for a young boy named Cole Lucas Anderson.

"Lucas..." Connor whispered in shock at the sight of the middle name. "...Is that..."

"I figured you picked his name." Hank stated as he knelt between the two graves with the box in his hands. "Lucas was my father's name, and it's my middle name. Kind of a family tradition that got cut short."

"Hank, I-"

"I'm not mad about the name you chose Connor, I'm... flattered."

"...I wish I knew why I had chosen the name, it just... came to me."

"Same thing happened when I held Cole in my arms for the first time. I had no idea what I was going to call him, but once I saw him and held him in my arms the name just popped in to my head. And it felt right." Hank opened the box and pulled out a white lily and held it for a moment. "I think Cole would've really liked you, Connor."

"I wish I could've met him." Connor replied sweetly as he knelt down beside Hank respectfully. "I'm sure I would've like him, as well."

"And Barbara." Hank smiled a little and rubbed his hand over his bearded chin. "She was... one in a billion."

"She was your partner before me." Connor replied with a kind tone as he knew of Hank's previous connection to the woman. "I'm sorry she was killed."

"Yeah, everyone is. If I could've traded places with her I would've done it in a heartbeat. After she died it was difficult raising Cole alone, but I managed to do it for two years before... Well, you know."

Connor brow arched higher at Hank's comment. "Barbara was Cole's... mother?"

"Yup."

"And you two..."

"Yup."

"Captain Fowler... He didn't object?"

"Of course he did! He hated the idea of two cops working as partners AND lovers at the same time, and he hated it even more when Barbara announced she was pregnant with Cole. But Jeffrey was our friend. He looked the other way out of professional courtesy, but now I wish he had done his job and kept us apart."

Connor noted Barbara's last name on the headstone. "She didn't take your name."

"No, she didn't. We got married in secret about a year before she got pregnant. By keeping her last name the same it helped throw off professional suspicion, but legally, we were still in the clear."

"Captain Fowler knew of your marriage before she became pregnant?"

"Jeffrey was the best man at the wedding!"

Connor was more perplexed by the information than ever before. "...Why would... Hank, I'm finding it difficult to under how so many protocols and rules were broken just to aid you two in the precinct."

"Connor, humans... We're complicated. Barb and I knew what we were doing was a risk but we were crazy about each other. If one of us had to leave then we would both leave, and Jeffrey didn't want either of us to go." Hank picked up two more flowers from the box, a second white lily and a deep red rose. "Guess he figured once Cole was born Barb would stay home with him, but she couldn't wait to get back to work to help catch criminals and pull drugs off the street."

"May I ask why you have a divorce on your record?"

Hank laughed a little and blushed. "High school sweetheart. We spent a weekend in Vegas after graduation and when we woke up from a nasty hangover we found out we were married. Got divorced the following weekend and after all these years she's still pissed about it."

Connor gave Hank an odd look but didn't say anything more.

"Today is Barbara's birthday." Hank stated as he placed the red rose on her gravestone. "I promised her I'd always get her a rose on her birthday, and I haven't missed one yet."

As Hank put the lily down on the grave next to the rose he handed the first lily over to Connor to take.

Understanding what Hank wanted Connor placed the lily down on Cole's gravestone respectfully.

One more item was left behind in the box in Hank's hand. Something that wasn't a flower.

Letting out an exasperated sigh Hank reached back into the box and pulled out the mysterious item in question. It was the stuffed toy dog that he had found in Cole's old bedroom. Sitting the toy down on the gravestone Hank wiped away a tear that was rolling down his face.

"After Cole..." Hank paused for a moment as a sob got caught in his throat. "I uh, donated his toys to charity and had movers clean out his bedroom for me. They missed something. And I just didn't have the heart to throw it away."

"Why not keep it?"

"Because I've held onto the past long enough. I love Cole and I will never stop loving Cole, but I can't let the pain of his death keep me from living my life. Not anymore. Besides," Hank pulled at the torn ear on the stuffed dog's head affectionately. "I figured Cole would like to have it back."

Connor put his good hand on Hank's shoulder and held it there for a moment to support his emotional distraught friend.

"It's been so long already, but it still hurts like it just happened this morning."

The sun was setting quickly over the horizon and a deep amber-red light basked over the peaceful cemetery as the snow continued to swirl about in the air all around the two detectives. The idea of losing two people that Hank loved so dearly so close to one another finally helped Connor to understand why Hank had been so angry with him before.

"I'm sorry for worrying you, Hank. And for not telling you about Lucas."

"It's okay, kid. I get it."

"...I promise you, Hank. If I ever feel as though I'm in danger or need your help, I will ask and let you know what's happening. No more secrets."

Hank reached out his hand and patted Connor's shoulder appreciatively. Having the android as his side was a welcoming presence. Connor remained respectfully quiet and waited for Hank to finish the visit with his departed family.

"Come on, son. Let's go home."

_**-The End** _

**Fun Fact:** The name 'Lucas' means 'Light'. Since he wore a pure white jacket int he game and is now on his way to redemption in this (non-canon) story I figured it was an appropriate name.


End file.
